Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-04
BUSTER BILL.

"Ho' by Jupiter said Buster Bill
Ii might have sounded harsh from any
other inhabitaut of Gold Run. hut coming
from the lips of Buster Bill it was differ
ent; for Buster Bill had deep blue ewes,
and his yellow hair curled into topknot
on his small, round head; and Buster Bill
had not yet attained To the age of reason.
( being but $ Wears old Also. Buster
Bill, with his yellow topknot rrotruding
through the hole in Keno Dick, cast off
sombrero, and his sturdy little knees
smiling through the holes in Paddy Moo
mans discarded overalls. was as irrecon-
cilable with the idea of harshness as oil
with water
by thunder, I'll bet you my biggest
chispa you can't do it!' went on Bill, de
cisively.
The two persons so unconscious of his
scorn would have made-well. without
exaggeration. seven Of him And they
might have been trusted to make seven
out Of him had they heard his crushing
verdict But Bill, when he woke up in
the old, sunny gold pocket on the hillside.
and heard the two tough nuts of the camp
planning for the robbery of Keno Dicks
cabin, had sense enough TO lie still and
save his remarks till none but the yellow
poppies could nod defiance to him
In the course of his six years residence
among the pine trees and howlders of
Cell Run there had been nobody to whom
Buster Bill looked up as he did TO Keno
Dick. Although he was on intimate terms
with the whole camp. thereby procuring
for his mother a monopoly of the washing
on that portion of the high Sierra, it was
TO Dick alone that he turned in his ex-
frnrplTipS WEpn hp had
bring his mother the box of starch for
which she was waiting, or when the new
bar of soap had accidentally slipped from
his pocket down to the sllmp of the shaft
he had been experimenting, it was Dick
who had stood in the door of his cabin
while Bill dashed under his arm-a wall
firm and secure against the progress of
the female Avenger. 1t was Dick who
that the next fellow who fell
down that sump would come up cleaner
than he had been since he left the states:
and it was Dick who fiShed ont from the
storehouSe under his bed the twin to Bill;
bar of soap, ard sent the Avenger home
rejoicing.
And Dick had been out on a prospecting
tour for two days. and was not expected
back until tomorrow night Bill had in
tended to accompany him, but Bits
mother was of the opinion that he might
be wantin' fer sumthin' else and wat
time had she fer ter he runnin' arrants2
So Bill had stayed at home and this after
noon he had been cautioned not to set fut
of the hill, fer indade she was not blist
wild the voice Of a stame whustle. Bad
luck TO him fer bein' that like flea thet
nobody cud put their finger on him.
Therefore he had crawled into the de-
serted pocket. and until half an hour ago
lad slept the sleep slept only by the boy
who knows his mother wants him. Then
ne had started wide awake TO listen TO the
'obbers' plots, and the plots We're against
Keno Dick
Bill stared after the retreating figures,
limly seen at the bottom Of the hill, and
hen sat down 10 embrace his tan colored
lnees and arrange for the nights work
Most people would have announced the
news in open meeting at the Gold Run
lotel that night. but not SO Buster Bill
\ as il for such tame affairs he had thus
,een christened by the wits in camp' Was
t for this he had learned of Wild Bill, had
earned for him and dreamed of himf
10! II should never he said of him that
ie profited not by his teaching. The yel-
ow topknot WAS most convenient
Iandle, and he reached the top of the hill
With almost painful celebrity, for, alas!
arric;i away by his apostrophes. Buster
Bill had forgotten TO retire TO his hole i'll
he ground, and the Ayenger was abroad.
The night was gloomy and the wind